Safe Lifting License for Everybody in Staffanstorp

The domino effect: First, three instructors were trained, and then they in turn trained 182 caregivers. An well timed request for local development funds has given almost all of the caregivers in the Scanian town Staffanstorp the Safe Lifting Licence®. – We have received very high evaluations from those who have taken the course, says section leader Ingegärd Florin.

One of the courses offered by Liko Competence is called "Instructor Safe Lifting Licence". The course leads to the instructors themselves consequently being able to give a one-day course for caregivers. One county which really has used the model is Staffanstorp, close to Lund in Sweden.

In this little agglomeration you find the Magnoliagården and the protected housing Pilegården from whence all home care service emanates. Here you also find the group of physiotherapists and occupational therapists and their boss Ingegärd Florin. When the need to train the personnel in lifting techniques became urgent, she happened by mere chance to find out that right then development funds could be applied for.

– We applied for 400 000 SEK to partly train instructors and party train all caregivers.

It is not just the boss who is happy

Thanks to the funds, we have been able to do it, too. And it is not just the boss who is happy. Both the two instructors Ylva Hägg and Jan-Ingvar Mattsson, as well as the trained caregivers, give the course very high notes. All autumn they have each held a course one day a week.

– At the instructor's course we learned so much that we dared to instruct on, but it was indeed nerve wracking in the beginning. Since then, it has just been very nice, says the occupational therapist Ylva.

Thanks to the high pace, all caregivers have been given the Safe Lifting Licence®, except for a few who were on leave of absence.

– I believe in training all personnel as simultaneously as possible, says Ingegärd, who has in mind to continue with the one-day courses in the spring and autumn so that everybody, including new staff, can receive a safe lifting license.

With the help of a solid folder, Ylva and Jan-Ingvar set to work. They modified and adapted the course to their own conditions and divided theory and practice into different localities.

Other counties have been inspired

One of those who have been inspired by the instructors is Lisbeth Hansson, supervisor for a specific home. She is very positive but can also see that certain problems remain.

– The course was very good and it was interesting to be allowed to experience how it is to be lifted. I had in mind that it would be unpleasant, but it actually felt quite good.

Where the result in the form of changed attitudes is concerned, however, Lisbeth is not quite satisfied. In spite of the fact that many of the caregivers have pains, some find that it is complicated to plan the transfers and that it takes more time.

– Very often one feels that it is easier to solve the situation by oneself. It is a question of planning, so that one is two instead of one.

Other counties in Scania have now been inspired by Staffanstorp, says Majvi Hellström, who is the Liko sales representative in Lund and the spider in the web for the so called "11 group" – eleven counties who have gone together and turned to Liko for the distribution of patient lifts and accessories. In Lund they are now ready to start similar courses.

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